Electric lamp.



No. 730,216'. PATENTED JUNZ, 1903..

E. N. POTTER*l l ELECTRIC LAMP.

APPLICATION FILED APB.. Z7, 1900.

N0 MODEL. 3 SHEBTS-SHEET 1.

I I l l Arm/MEV.

No. 730,216. Y EATENTED JUNE z, 190s.

' E. N. POTTER.

ELECTRIC LAMP.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 27, 1900. N0 MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2` E@ E- mAnde/ver.

No. 730,216. PATENTED JUNE 2, 1903.

H. N. POTTER.

ELECTRIC LAMP.'

APPLICATION FILED APB. 27. 1900.

' F0 MODEL. y 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

' UNITED' STATES Patented J' 1v1-ne ,2, 1903.

PATENT GFFICE.

GEORGE wEsrINenoUsE, oF- PITTSBURG,

PENNSYLVANIA.

ELL-ormeli/uvm.

SPECIFIGATIN' forming part of Letters Patent No. 730,216, dated une 2,1903.

:sanctionner April 27, 1900.

To all whom, t may concern,.- v

Be it known that I, IIENRYNOEL POTTER, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Pitts burg, in the countyof.Allegheny and lbtat-e of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Electric Lamps, of which the following' is aspecification.

My invention relates to electric lamps of the type in which thelight-emitting body is a lzo 1ion-conductorwhencold and becomes an eiii-3o partially in side cient conductor when its temperature issufficiently raised by independently-generated heat. The object of myinvention is -to pro(vide a llamp of the type indicated which shall besimple, compact, and inexpensive lin construction Vand durable and4efficient in o'peration and one in which the operative relation of theseveral parts shall be independent of zo the position of the lamp as awhole-that is to say, one in which thevlamp will operate efficiently andsatisfactorily when the axis ofthe lamp is in either a Vertical orhorizontal position or disposed at any angle between the z5 two.

With these ends in viewl have devised the .means shown in theaccompanying drawings, in Which- Figure 1 is a view partially in sectionand Celevation of a lamp con' -structed in accordance with my invention.

la is a plan view of lthe heater and the vconnecting device between thesame' and the inner glower-terminal. Fig. 2 is a viewvsimilar to Fig. 1except that the housing and Fig. 4 is a plan view of globe for the lampare omitted and the parts are shown at right angles to the positionindicated in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is afdetail side'elevation corresponding tothe lower portion of o Fig. 2, but illustrating a modified form ofreturn-conductor for the glower and h eater;

the supporting-plate f for the heater and glower.- Fig. 5 is adetailsectional view qt one of the devices for mak` ing separableVcircuit connections between terminals upon the removable element of thelamp and terminals upon the permanent portion :of the lamp.- Fig. 6 is adiagram ofthe -lampcircuits.' Fig. 7 is a diagram of a modi Y 5o4 edarrangement of lamp-circuits. Fig.- 8'is a View, partially 'in 'sideelevation andl par- Serial No. 14.600. (No model.)

tiallyin section, of a lamp of modified con-l struction. Fig. 9 isas'ectional View of a modiiied construction of vcut-out device, the electrical conductors .being indicated diagrammatically. Fig. 10 is anenlarged view, in front elevation, of the combined ballast and cut-outmechanism.

Referring to Figs.A 1 to 6 of the drawings, the glower 1- is connectedby the terminal wire 2 at its outer end to the outer end of a supportingreturn-conductor 3. zThis conductor 3 is of 'gzag form' in order thatthe casting of dense shadows uponl the globe may be avoided.

The return-conductor may be made to assumediiferent forms from that hereshown, provided` it is so constructed and located with reference to theglower that the umbra shall be located adjacent tosaid conductor insteadof being cast upon the globe. vAs one modiication I havefshown in Fig. 3a supporting and returning conductor 3 of helical form which surroundsthe glower.

The terminal wire 4 at the inner end of thc glower passes looselythrough the tubular portion of a guide-bushing 5 and is fastened to oneend ofl a terminal plug or pin 6, this pin being seated ina tubularscrew 7, that is centrally'located in a skeleton or open-work plate 8.This plate 8 is also provided with three tubular screws 9, 10, and 11,adjacent to its edges and suitably disposed to accommodate the terminalrods, which will be hereinafter described. The heater 12 for the lglowerisof spiral or h'elical form, symmetrically disposed around the glower,and preferably consists of a helix of insulating material, around whichI is coiled a ine platinum wire which constitutes the heating-conductor.The outer terminal 13 of the heater-wire yis .either joined directly tother outer end of the conductor or to the glower terminal wire 2. Asmall rod 14 is fastened to the outer end of the heater -to serve as anadditional support for maintaining Nthe fouter endsof the glower'and'heater in proper relative position.

v, The inner end ofthe supporting-body of the heater is attached t0 aprojection 15 on the insulating and supporting/piece 5so as to maintainthe'v tubular' portion substantially in alinem ent with the heater-axis.The glower is thus retained in proper ward against 7 and l0 in themanner already Aplate S not actually relation to the heater, and at thesame time the connection is such as to permit of afree longitudinal ex-vpansion and contraction ot' the heater and glower independently of eachother. The inner terminal wire 13 of the heater is fastened to the outerend of awire 1G,the inner end ofwhich projects through theysupporting-plate 8 and is fastened to the terminal vscrew 9, preferablyby ceiling it about said screw and beneath the nut 9. This nut being ofhexagonal form, 1G may be bent upward against the side of the nut, andthus serve to lock it in the position as is i-ndicated in Figs. 1 to Lt.The inner end of the return-conduetor 3 projects through the plate S andis similarly bent around the tubular screw 11 and clamped in position bythe nut 11', the free end,of the conductor being bent upward against theside of the nut to lock it in position in the manner already describedwith reference to the wire 16 and nut 9. The tubular screw# iselectrically connected to the screw 10 by means of a wire 17, that isembedded in the plate 8 and the ends of which are coiled around therespective screws 7 and 10 and bent upthe sidesof the clamping-nuts Adescribed with reference to the 'other conducting-wires and nuts thatare supported by the plate 8. It will be observed that all portions ofthe needed for supporting the terminal devices are eut away, soas toform an open-work structure, and thus permit of the free passage of airto assist in consame material integral part of it, if desired; but Ifind itv l fer, therefore, to make the screws 7, 9,10,

are shown as made ducting away the heat, and thus maintain acomparatively low temperature in the lamp.

The globe 18, that surrounds the glower and heater, is supported by ahousing 19, having Ventilating-openings 19 and to the lower edge ofwhich it is attached by means of one ormore locking-screws 20.Projecting upward from each of the tubular screws 9, 10, and be formedof thel which may as the screw and constitute an 11 is a pin 21,

convenient and desirable to form the screws of brass and the pins ofametal, such as aluminium, that is soft and the surface of which does notoxidize objectionably. I preand 11 of the same form and material and"prov-ide each-of them, except t screw 7,v

with a pin21, that is permanently a rigidly seated in thev screw andprojects upwardly therefrom,- as indicated. t

The'external circuit connections of the lamp by means of the head of ascrew 22 at`the end of the lamp structure opposite the globe I8 sind bya band 23, (shown as of screw-thread ed forca) adapted to lit thewell-known. form of Edison incandescentlamp socket. These parts'22`and.23 'are Supported by atubularbody'24, of suitable nonconductingmaterial, such as porcelain, which is seated in the upper end of thehousing 19.

the end of the wire close t therewith.

Inthe upper end of the tubular body 2t, is seated a small magnet-coil25, the core 2G of which is' engaged by the screw 22, so as to fastenthe coil and core in position in'the lamp. he inner end of the core 2liis seated in a pocket or depression 27 in the end ol an air-tightchamber 28 and may be cemented thereto. The chamber 2S is preferably aglass tube from which the air is exhausted and which contains abody ofinert gas, such as hydrogen. The connection between the core 26 and the'tube 2S is such that the latter will be supported by the former whenthe parts are assembled in the proper relative position. l/Vithin thetube 2Slare contained the ballast resistance-wire 29, the supportingwire frame 30 therefor, and the circuit mak ing and break-A ing devicesforthe heater-circuit, all of the said parts being supported by theinwardlyprojecting portion 27 of the tube 28, in which the core 26 isseated. The movable member of the circuit making and breaking devices isshown in the form of a rod or tube 3l, formed in whole or in part ofmagnetizable material and pivoted at approximately its middle point upona portion 32 of a wire 33,

one end of which is rigidly connected to the inwardly-projecting'portion27 of the tube 2S.

'lhe part 32 of the wire is preferably disposed at right'angles to theaxis of the lamp, and

from the free end of this portionl the wire projects downwardly nearlyto the `lower end of the support 30 for the ballast-wire 29 and fromthat point is bent backward upon itself to the lower end of the pivotedrod 31. From this point the wire projects across the lower end of therod 31 at 33, then parallel thereto at 33", and then at right anglesthereto at 33C. The/parts 33 and 33C have curved seats to receive thenrod 31, and the spring-action of the wire 33 is such that the pressureof the part 33 just below the part 32 will serve to hold the outer endof the rod 31 away from the core 26. When. in 'this position, the outerend of the device 31 rests against a terminal piece 34, one end of whichis rigidly supported by the inwardly-projecting portion 27 of the tube28. AWhen the magnet -25 is energized, the part 31 will be rocked on itspivot so as to move its outer end away from the contact-piece 34 and itsouter end into engagement with the lseat formed in the part 33, thisspring-buffer being provided in order .of rod 31 against part 27 whenalternating current is employed inthe operation of the lamp.

In order to make suitable circuit connections between the controllingdevices eon` tainediin the tube 28 -and the glower and heater andbetween the magnetcoil 25 and the glow'er and heater, I provide threetermi# nal rods 35, and since these are preferably made of aluminium,dered, I form eacnrodof two strips of metal 36 and 37, theistrip 36'being bent at its lower end to/form atube 36 receive the correspondingpin 21 and make a to prevent any rattling which is not readily sol- Y ofthe proper size to The strip 36 is also prov aided with a slit 36b at asuitable pointy above theV tubular portion 36, and the other Strip, 37,is provided with a tongue 3S, that projects through the slit 37 and isbent down against the strip 3G on the opposite side, this connectionserving to hold the parts inI proper positionv with their contiguousvfaces in close contact. At a suitable point above the slit and tongueconnection I bend the strips 3G and 37 apart suihciently to form 'atubular socket 39, adapted to receive a terminal pin flO. The two strips3G and 37 may be separate pieces clamped together and to the innerportion `able soft metal, and this plug is removably I Acontact-terminalpiece 34, and the correspond-- seated in the socket 39 of the terminalrod 35, with which the pin 21, projecting from the screw 10, engages.The other terminal wire, 42, of the magnet 25 leads into the tube28, andits inner end is fastened to one end of the ballast-wire 29.' Theterminal wire 43, the youter end of which is soldered to the shell 23,has its inner end fastened to a terminal'plug 4.0, like that alreadydescribed, and this plug .is removably seated in the socket39 of theterminal rod 35, that is connected to the returnconductor 3; Instead ofemploying the plug 40 the end of the wire 43 may be solderedl to ingconnecting wires, plu gs,and terminal rods tothe heater, and throughtheJ heater, the return-conductor '3, and connections to the shell 23and out. As soon as the heat transmitted to the' glower from the heaterraises the glower to a conducting temperature 4the current will passfrom the magnet-core 26 turned to the positions indicated in thedrawings.

It will be seen scription that the relation of the heater and glower issuch that substantially the same amount of' heat will be imparted to the7glower and the same amount of light transmitted from the latter for allpositions of the lamp, and 4consequently that the lamp is adapted foruse in connection with existing incandescent-lamp sockets, no matterwhatI the position of such sockets maybe. The electromagnetic cut-outisalso so arranged'vthat its. action is independent of gravity, and itsmovable member is so held that it will not vibrate, and thus produceobjectionable/noise when the lamp is operated on alternating-currentcircuits. F' In Fig. 7 of the drawings I have indicated an arrangementof circuits which differs somewhat from that heretofore described. Theseveral parts ofthe lamp, except as'regards the circuit connections, areor may be the same as those already described, and

from the illustration and desince the same reference-numerals areemcuits shownin Figs. 1 to 6 the current pass-4 ing through the lampdoes not traverse the cut-out `coil 25 until the heater-circuit isbroken. As shown in Fig. 7 the current passing through thelamptraversesthe cutout coil 25 at all times. Since the current passing through theheater is le'ss than tha-t takenbythe glower, it is feasible ,to soproportion and adjust the parts of Athe circuit; breaker that thecurrent iiowing through the lamp when the glower is not-in circuit will.

be insuiiicient to move the armature of the cut out, and thus break theheater-circuit. This arrangement of circuits is more sensitive than thatpreviously described, 'since the cut-out coil is energized at all timesand the instant that the glower becomes conductive the eXtra currentflowing will serve 'to break the heater-circuit.'l

' In the lampshown in Fig. 8th-e parts ncluded within the housing 19 maybe the same as those shown inthe preceding gures; but in this form oflamp I have shown a double globe 18, the 'space 18 between the inner andouter walls of which is exhausted of air 'inorder that better lightingeffects may be secured, such improved lighting ei'ects being due to thesubstantial elimination of convection. In this form of rlamp I have alsoshown a curved vglower l and aheater 12n of zigzag form that embracesbut does not entirely surround the glower, the ,general axis of theheater being coincident with that of the glower. This form of heater Ihave shown in an otherapplication and v4have there desig- IOO IIO

nated it as a wave-spiral.z VIt will be understood that there is nospecial cooperation is included within it.

between this form'of heater and glower and the vacuum-globe, and hencethe formsl of heater and glower shown in other figures mayu behereemployed, or the forms may otherwise be varied as desired.

In Fig. 9 I Ahave shown the circuits and some of the essential featuresof a lamp, the structure of which is the same as that shown p in Figs. lto 6, except that the-core 26 of the cut-out device is located insidethe tube or chamber 28, ythe coil 25 being the only member fA thecut-out structure that is located outsidethe chamber. It is not deemedadvisable in any case to include the coil Within the chamber, for thereason that the air clings tenaciously' to the coil surfaces andcavities, so that it is extremely dincult if not impossible to exhaustthe chamber of air if the coil Such air as would be secreted by thecoilif the latter were included in the chamber would subsequently befreed,

' so as to mix with the hydrogen and make 'moisture that would have adeleterious effect last device, an automatic heater cut-out hav-' 'mgapivoted circuit making and breaking member` and a spring thatbears-againstsaid member in each of its positions and thus 'comprising aglower, a heater surrounding prevents vibrations.Y

2. An electric lamp ofthe type described,

comprising a glower, a heater therefor, a/ballast device, a cut-out forthe heater, the movable member of which is pivotalcly mounted and aspring-arm, one end of which constitutes the pivot for said member'andthe other end of which bears against one end of said member in allpositions of the latter.

3. An electric lamp of the'type described,

comprising a glower, a heater therefor, a ballast device, anelectrolnagnetically-actuated cut-out device forthe heater and aspringarm upon one end of which said device is pivoted and vagainst theother end of -which the device rests in each of its positions.

4.- An electric lamp of the type described,

the same, a conducting support for said glower and heater that isAangularly disposed Y with reference to the glower, a ballast device,

a cut-out for the heater and circuit connections. '1 i 5..' In anelectric lamp of the type described, a controlling device for theheatercircuit comprising. a switch-arm formed in whole or in part ofmagnetizable material i and ypivotallyl supported at substantially itscenter of gravity, arspring against which said switcharm rests in eachof itspositions for preventnet in inductive relation to saidsWitch-arm.

' 6. An electric lamp of the type described, A

comprising a glov'ver, a heater, a controlling device for'theheater-circuit, a ballast for the gloWer-circuit, all of said parts'being Opera'- tively independent of lthe position of .the lamp, and themovable member of the circuitcontrolling vdevice being Arestrainedagainstl vibration in every position that it assumes.

7. An electric lamp of the type described, v A

having glower and heater terminal rods, each' of which is formed of astrip of metal douA bled upon itself and has an edge and an end endsocket for the reception of plug-terminals. 8. -The combinationwith aglower of the type described, .of a heating-conductor located adjacentto the gloWer and having different portions of its length disposed atdifferent located adjacent to the heater and having diierent portions ofits length also disposed atvdifferent angles to the gloWer-axis and an#gularly disposedwith reference to the corresponding portions vof theheating-conductor, andmeans for supporting the said parts. 9. Thecombination with a glower, a heating-conductor therefor and areturn-conduc- 'tor each of which has different portions of its and thegloWer and having diiferent portions of lits length disposed atdifferent angles to the glower and to the corresponding portions of theheating-conductor, all united' in a single terminal at one end, ofinsulated terminals for the other ends of said devices and a supportingdevice having three terminals for the free terminals of the gloWer, theheatingconductor 'and the return-conductor.

l1. The combination with a glower of the type described, of a heaterhaving different portions of its length disposed at diierent anglestothegloWer-axis, a Wire or rod adjacent to the heater having differentportions of vits length also disposed at different angles to theAgloWer-axis and to the corresponding portioiis. ofthe heater andaffording a return path for 4the currents transmitted through theheater, and a plate of insulating material carrying the glower, theheater and said Wire or rod. y

12.' The-combination with a glowcr of the type described, of a heatertherefor, a-zigzag l ing vibratory movement, and an electromagf anglestothe gloWer-axis,ra return-conductor i loo ICS

IIO

' protecting thesame and aiiording a return path for the" currentstransmitted therethrough,aninsulating-plate,terminalscarried thereby foralfording electrical connection with the terminals of the glower, theheater and the conductor upon one side, a terminal upon the oppositeside, and a ballast-conductor making electrical connection with thelastnamed terminal.y

13. The combination with a glower of the type described, ofaheaterrigidly connected to the glowerat one end and loosely connectedthereto at the other end whereby independent, longitudinal expansion andcon traction are permitted. f Y

14. In an electric lamp, the combination with a glower andheating-conductor, of a support therefor, a ballast-conductor, and anelectric cnt-out, an air-tight inclosing chamber for saidballast-conductor and cut-out,

and detachable terminals for making electrical connections betweentheglower and ballast-conductor and the heater and cut-ont, substantiallyas described.

15. In anelectric-lamp structure, having a glower and heater, thecombination with an electromagnetic cut-out or circuit-breaker, aballast conductor, an air tight inclosing chamber for theballast-conductor and the contact members of the circuit-breaker', of

' separable electric connections upon the outside of said chamber foraifording electrical connections between the ballast-conductor andcircuit-breaker and the glower andheater.

16. In an yelectric-lampstructure, aremovable air-tight chamber having aballast device and a circuit-interrupter contained therein.'

' 17. In an electric-lamp structure, aremovable air-tight chamber havinga ballast device and a circuit-interrupter contained therein,

said circuit-interinpter being connected at -one end with oneend of theballast device. Y, 18. The combination with a glower of the z typedescribed, lof a heater therefor and a ballast and circuit-breakercontaining case located in alinement with .the general axis of theglower and the heater.

19. .The combination with a gloWer of the type described, of a heatertherefor, a ballast and circuit-breaker containing case located inalinement with the general axis of the glower and the heater, and aninclosing globe surrounding said glower' and heater.'l

' 20. In an. electric lamp, a non-conducting plate having terminalscrews seated therein, glower and heater termin al wires and bindingnutsfor connecting said wires with said screws, the ends of the wires 'beingbent up ward 'against the sides of the nuts to lock 'them in position.

21. In an electric lamp of the type described, a spiral heater and aglower coinciding with the heater-axis and having one end rigidlyconnected to the. corresponding end of the heater and having a looseconnection between its other end and the corresponding end of theheater. y

22. In an electric lamp ofthe type described, the combination with aglo'wer and a heater rigidly connected together atone end, of asupporting-piece carried by the other end of the heater and having aguide-bushin g for the glower terminal wire.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this '25th dayof April, A. D. E

HENRY NOEL POTTER.

Witnesses:

HUGH ANDREW, CRooKs,

DAVID W. CRooKs.

